818-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 8, 1990
TAKING
by Rebecca Wolf
Extension Home Economist
Buyer Beware
For most retailers, profit from
holiday sales constitutes a major
portion of their yearly income. For
the consumer, that means “Buyer
Beware!”
Businesses are out to make
money this holiday season. Their
profit may be at your expense.
Careful, skeptical shopping will
help you win in the end. Unfortu
nately, this kind of shopping takes
time, and in our crazy-paced
world, time is a rare commodity,
particularly during the holidays.
A few precautions may save
you money, hassles, and
disappointment.
Comparison shopping does pay.
Last year, I purchased a hard
bound book at one store in our loc
al mall. The same book was priced
for $lO more at another store in
the same mall. Of course, it’s not
fuel efficient to drive to many
stores looking foi one item, but
checking two places is worth
while. Know your limits. Balance
the available time with the avail
able dollars.
Before you go out, make a list
Gfl&enmias sump
is .... X
2388 Old Leacock Rd., GordonviUe, PA 17529
CUSTOM BUILT STOVES, WOOD OR COAL
HIGH PRESSURE WASHERS
HIGH-TENSILE FENCING .
PEQUEA & PEERLESS BATTERIES tfl K6IKl(ll|
DISTRIBUTOR FOR BEARINGS air. Drvdene
SPROCKETS. PULLEYS, BELTS '
KENDALL & DRYDENE OILS & LUBRICANTS
UPSSenkt
STANDBY GENERATORS
MAXI-POWER INC.
330 Fonderwhite Rd. Lebanon, PA 17042
(717) 273-4544 Radio Dispatch
24 Hr. Service
TIME
of people and possible gifts. Care
fully review the advertisements.
As you scan them, jot down store
names and prices. Commercials
can be deceiving. If you want to
catch a particular bargain, clip the
ad and carry it with you. This will
help you find the gift and confirm
the price. Your want to avoid sur
prises at the register! You can save
time by calling several stores on
the phone when tracking down a
hard-to-find item.
Both you and your children
need to temper your first impress
ions of products from ads. What
seems exciting at first glance may
lose its appeal quickly. If possible,
talk to someone who actually has
the item; try it yourself.
Carry a pencil in your purse or
pocket. Cross off names and items
as you make purchases. You may
be tempted to buy additional items
at a store. Allow yourself a little
flexibility. Set a maximum dollar
amount for each person. Stick to
that. If you find several products
that were unplanned, subtitute
them for other suggestions on the
list.
PTO Driven
Automatic Systems
While shopping, don’t be afraid
to ask a clerk to open a box. You
should know what your money is
buying. Does the toy look as excit
ing in your hands as it does on the
television? Will it break easily?
How complicated will it be to use?
to put together? Does the product
come with a guarantee or warran
ty? Would you or a child use it
more than once? Would it enter
tain for a long period of time?
How many different things can
one item do? Often an electronic
toy can do only one thing and after
a few minutes of entertainment,
the item loses interest. Is the pro
duct worth the money?
Weigh these questions as you
personally examine the item.
Don’t be intimidated by other
shoppers or store personnel. But
also don’t be impolite. You are
most likely to get good service if
you are respectful of the staffs
time and responsibilities.
With our unsure economy, take
comfort in the fact that “inexpen
sive” can be excellent (And it can
be fun!) In a recent toy test con
ducted by Zillions, a Consumer
Reports magazine, the two least
expensive toys ended up ranking
second and third out of ten. The
most expensive toy ranked eighth.
It may seem tedious, but
remember to save receipts. Make
gPBI»M>]JJgg
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notations on the register slips or
charge slips about what the item
was and for whom the item was
purchased. A line of numbers may
mean little in mid-January.
Much of the secret of wise
shopping is linked to a shopper’s
confidence. Don’t allow other
Send Food Packages With Care
NEWARK, DE With so
many of our armed services peo
ple in Saudi Arabia, folks back
home may want to show their care
and concern by sending over treats
and goodies. Dr. Sue Snider, Uni
versity of Delaware Cooperative
Extension food and nutrition spe
cialist, has some suggestions on
what to send and how to pack a
care package so it arrives safely.
But one caution
when choosing items to send,”
Snider notes, “because of reli
gious taboos and out of respect for
the culture, avoid sending pro
ducts that contain alcohol or
pork.”
Snider says dry and semi-moist
foods ship well. Commercially
packed nuts are fine, as are dried
fruits that are commercially pack
aged with sulphur dioxide or some
other preservative. But with
home-dried fruit Snider warns,
worms can be a problem. By the
time edibles get there it takes
Limit 4
.$59.99 w/c
$69.99 w/c
(Hag. $109)
TANFASTIC TANNING CENTER
Village At Willow Green, 272 N
2819-A Willow Street (717) 464-3334
HELLBERG’S
GREENHOUSES
232 Maple Ave.
Bird-In-Hand, PA 17505
(717) 393-6209
HRISTMAS SPECIAL
• over 100,000
to choose from!
people to coax you into decisions
you would not choose for your
self. And don’t allow your own
embarrassment to keep you from
asking questions before you buy
or from returning gifts after the
holidays.
letters about 12 days the food
could be infested.
“Cookies and cakes are a good
choice, but avoid those that go
stale quickly and crumble and
break easily,” Snider says. “Avoid
cookies with frostings, because
the frosting will melt.”
Moist, chewy cookies such as
oatmeal or unfrosted brownies are
ideal. Snider says chocolate chip
cookies should be fine, too,
although the chips will melt, most
will be contained within the
cookie.
When preparing the package,
choose a can or heavy-duty, rigid
box. Use a cushion of popcorn,
shredded paper or polystyrene bits
on the bottom of the package.
Then, place a single layer of cook
ies, sealed in a plastic zip-lock
bag, foil or both, on top of the
cushion. Add more cushioning,
another layer of cookies, and
repeat the layering procedure until
the container is full.
FOR
an
k ffz hour
1 5 Year Warranty^
• Thermostats
• 5200 BTU's
• Heats • Large Room
• Adjustable Fan
SLENDER YOU OF NEW HOLLAND
Across From Garden Spot H.S.
Rt 23 (Lower Ltvel.iw) (717)359-2147